A Hosts file is a file that contains specific IP addresses and domain names. It is used for testing purposes to override a DNS (Domain Name System) so that a web browser can be redirected to a specific IP address. For some users, the Hosts file is not working properly on their Windows 11/10 systems. If such a thing is happening to you, you can try the solutions explained in this article to fix the problem.
Why Hosts file is not working?
There could be many reasons for which the Hosts file is not working on your Windows computer. You might be using the wrong format in your Hosts file. Apart from that, permission issues of the Hosts file are also one of the causes. If you have configured Proxy on your Windows 11/10 computer, it might be bypassing the Hosts file. We have explained the solutions to deal with this problem below in this article.
Hosts File not working in Windows 11/10
Before you try the solutions mentioned below, make sure that you are using the correct format in the Hosts file to redirect websites in your web browser. The Hosts file will not work if you have added the websites in the wrong format. The correct format is as follows:
IP Address www.abcd.com
There is a space between the IP address and the domain name. You can also separate the IP address and the domain name with Tab if separating them with space is not working.
Also, the same IP address should not be on different lines. If you want to add multiple entries for the same IP address, you can add all these entries in the same line by separating them with space.
If you have used the right format but still the Hosts file is not working, try the solutions mentioned below:
- Flush your DNS cache
- Reset your NetBios cache
- Check the encoding format of the Hosts file
- Check for permission issues
- Reset the Hosts file
- Disable Proxy
- Create a new Hosts file
- Flush Socket Pools in Chrome
- Disable DoH in Firefox
Let’s see all these fixes in detail.
1] Flush your DNS cache
The changes made to the Hosts file should take effect immediately. But this is not happening. Hence, flushing the DNS cache can fix the problem. To do so, you have to execute the following command in an elevated Command prompt.
ipconfig /flushdns
2] Reset NetBios cache
If flushing the DNS cache did not fix your problem, resetting the NetBios cache may help. Open the Command Prompt as an administrator, type the following command, and hit Enter.
nbtstat -R
Now, check if the issue persists.
3] Check the encoding format of the Hosts file
The Hosts file should have any one of the following encoding formats:
Check what the encoding format of your Hosts file has. To do so, right-click on the Hosts file and select “Open with > Notepad.” If the Notepad option is not there, open Notepad and then press the Ctrl + O keys. Now, select the Hosts file to open it. Go to “File > Save As.” Notepad will show you the same encoding format used for the Hosts file.</…….
Source: https://www.thewindowsclub.com/hosts-file-not-working-in-windows